1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly to a slot machine in which a player can play a game by inserting coins (including medals and tokens) or by using a memory card.
2. Prior Art
In a slot machine, a game is generally started upon actuation of a start lever after insertion of one, two or three coins in the slot machine. Then, a plurality of reels with symbols arranged thereon simultaneously start rotating. The reels are thereafter caused to stop rotating at random or in response to the depression of a stop button or stop buttons. Whether a prize should be awarded, and if so what prize, is determined based on the combination of symbols that are finally placed on a predetermined number of winning lines when the reels stop after rotating. If the game results in a win, a predetermined number of coins, according to the rank of the win, e.g. a big hit, medium hit, small hit or the like, is paid out.
Furthermore, as is mentioned above, there have also been slot machines wherein a specific game card is used instead of coins, which is usable exclusively in playing the slot machine game. The game card has an IC memory or an LSI memory for recording data or is capable of magnetically recording data thereon. Prior to starting a game, an appropriate value is selectable to be bet on the game within an available value, that is, the value currently recorded on the game card. If the game results in a win, a predetermined value to be paid out is recorded on the game card, as an addition to the available value. If the game results in a loss, the value having been bet is deducted from the available value.
Independently of whether the reels of the slot machine are controlled to stop in response to the depression of the stop buttons, or the reels are automatically caused to stop at random, the probability of obtaining hits is previously set so that the pay-out rate of the slot machine, that is, the ratio of the total paid out value to the total bet value, approaches a predetermined figure the greater the number of games that are played. Especially, the probability of obtaining a big hit, for which a high value is paid out, is ordinarily set at about 1% of the total number of games, considering such a predetermined pay-out rate. It is to be noted that the big hit includes not only a hit for which at once a high value is paid out, but also a hit from which it becomes possible to play a number of privileged or bonus games in which the probability of obtaining hits is exceptionally high.
In the same way as for the big hit, the probabilities of obtaining medium and small hits are previously set considering the predetermined pay-out rate. Therefore, but for a big hit, the player would probably lose the available value during a number of played games, even if a number of medium and/or small hits are obtained in the meantime.
However, big hits do not occur with regular frequency, but only with a certain probability, so that it is in practice possible that two out of 100 games may result in big hits, or on the other hand not one of 200-300 games may result in a big hit. Therefore, the player might lose interest in the games if the player cannot win a big hit even after playing many games and so is steadily falling behind.